Life in Korea update
Hi, I’m Koseli. This is a weekly note about my life in Seoul, motherhood, creativity, books, and products I love. Let’s bond over the little things.
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Hello,
Are you still here after last week’s weird Mcsweeney’s-wannabe ode to Costco? This week I’m going to do something a little different, or rather, more like what I used to do: sharing a quick ‘life in Korea’ update:
Life in Korea
The Korean government announced a somewhat return to normal now that vaccination rates are in the low 70% for the whole country. Although masks are required at all times in public (for both vaccinated and unvaccinated), we can now gather with groups of 10 and karaoke places and bathhouses are reopening.
My husband and I are fully vaxxed. 5-7 months behind America but it’s done!
No vaccinations for the <12 crowd yet.
Debating whether to go home to America for the holidays. (See above.)
We celebrated 8 years with our second son this week. Lego, Funkopop, fresh art supplies, and science kits abound. Wrote a letter to him in his birthday journal and cried.
I bought a witch costume for Halloween and never wore it. I happily tore down our Halloween decorations this morning. Was not feeling it this year but feeling eager beaver to put out some Christmas decor. <me sneakily pulling out our German “smokers” and Scandi stockings>
Can I buy a Thanksgiving turkey in Seoul? There are rumors of pre-made Thanksgiving dinners at some Southern (U.S.) restaurants. I’m currently investigating. I want to make it myself but I’m afraid I can’t find a frozen or chilled bird here. I swear now we will have a Thanksgiving dinner!! Missed it last year for the damn flight to Korea and I will not be duped again.
The expat community in Korea is BOMB. I’m obsessed. People you’ve met once pull you to birthday parties of people you’ve never met just because you’re both foreign. It’s awesome magic. Maybe this is how expats are everywhere but gosh it’s fantastic.
Keenan took me out to lunch but it turned out to be a surprise fancy hotel stay?! We don’t have anyone to stay over to watch our kids so he held down the fort while I relaxed, shopped, slept, and read. It was heavenly. The next day we swam in black swim caps with masks and laughed. So many rules. And then got massages. I think massages are, like, my favorite thing in the whole world. The magic combo of swimming and massage therapy was like the first time my brain has been quiet for months.
Fall in Seoul is beautiful. I can’t get over how long each season is here.
After years of waffling, I’m running again? Jogging? It’s bizarre and fun to be jogging again. After only one spontaneous run I remembered just why I’ve been a runner for the majority of my life and wondered why I ever stopped. (I know why—health issues after having kids.) I felt like me again. No better feeling than fully embodying these amazing bodies.
For the first time maybe ever I’m not interested in watching whatever show is on in the Bachelor franchise. It’s not just Bachelor. It’s every social media app or platform that dings or demands or dopamine-hits me. I’m so over it and feel a deep, existential urge to purge myself of compulsive activities at large. It’s complicated because the internet is my writing platform but I think there’s a way to take a solid break, detox from the chemical dependency of screens and such, and return in a healthy, whole place. It feels so good to take back the power in my life and turn off my phone, silence all notifications, and let compulsive or obligatory sharing pass me by. I feel…better. I definitely felt worse at first but now I feel better. I’m not 100% screen-free (I read on my Kindle app, watch Marco Polo’s, text, use my laptop just to write this newsletter and produce my podcast) but my usage is way down. And the reality is, the less I use, the less I feel compelled to use. I feel freer and lighter. Gotta work on that guilt and the boundaries around the phone though.
I decided last night (October 30) I’m doing Nanowrimo. I’ve always been curious/critical but think the constraints and pressure could be ideal for a fast draft of my YA novel. I guess it’s “cheating” because I already have 13,000 words and a plot semi flushed out but when November 30 rolls around and I have a finished a 50k+ crappy first draft, find me swinging from a chandelier. Please send all the good vibes and funny GIFs. We can do this, Peter.
I have two fun, exciting projects in the works but can’t mention them yet. More soon!
Still loving 7/11 and GS25 more than anyone should. Why are convenience stores and grocery stores so fun in a foreign country?!
Craving kimchi and/or pickled veges all the time.
Daydreaming about a Korean-inspired room in our future home. Maybe a bathroom or a study?
Had so much fun recording this episode about my favorite Etsy shops. I love podcasting. One day I’ll write about how stupid it makes me feel but for now, I do it for the love of it/learning in it.
Our landlord has 4 cats. Three were born in the Spring. They eat canned cat food and homemade gravy out of china bowls. Now that it’s cold, they sleep in a cozy pop-up tent/mini house on plush flannel pet beds. I call one Kate Bosworth because it has one hazel eye and one brown eye. Every time I go downstairs, a stranger is in our garage feeding, playing with, or petting the cats. Like, little girls or grandpas or gaggles of co-workers. The cats are hand-fed Go-gurts by guys that look like k-pop stars. (Not uncommon.) A tween girl was playing with one of the cats the other day with a fake mouse on a string, obviously all of it pre-meditated. I love how much people love these cats. I’m confused but so charmed.
75% of our kids are in school full-time in-person 100%. It’s magnificent.
Life in Korea is great. I’m already sad about leaving one day. I honestly have no idea why or where we would go.
Have a great first week of November! See you back here next week for some fun links and mini essay.
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